On May 30, the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) issued an announcement to supplement the phytosanitary requirements for Zimbabwean fresh citrus exports to China, allowing Zimbabwean fresh citrus exports to China to be cold-treated in transit through a third country.

On June 9, the Horticulture Development Council (HDC) of Zimbabwe welcomed this, saying that it will open a new window to promote the trade of agricultural products between the two sides. HDC CEO Linda Nielsen said that the Zimbabwean citrus industry is very optimistic about the opportunities brought by the Chinese agreement, and the committee is working with companies that have registered and can meet the regulations to ensure the smooth progress of the first batch of orders.

On June 1 this year, the General Administration of Customs of China announced the list of registered orchards and packing factories in Zimbabwe that are allowed to export to China. There are 11 citrus orchards and 6 citrus packing factories.

Zimbabwe is expected to begin its first fresh citrus exports to China later this month, Linda Nielsen said. Meanwhile, HDC is also negotiating with China for access to blueberries, avocados and peppers.